


Making Memories

by Vakaara



Series: Under My Skin [3]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: A little bit of angst crept in, Camping, Cuddling, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mentions of canon typical violence, SO MUCH FLUFF, Set in or after DBS, its a family trip, mentions of butchering meat, sap, very soft boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25858327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vakaara/pseuds/Vakaara
Summary: A couple years after getting back from the dead, Goku finally convinces Vegeta to take their young sons on a camping trip. They should do this more often.
Relationships: Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)
Series: Under My Skin [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1735372
Comments: 28
Kudos: 96





	Making Memories

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of a sappy epilogue after the events of Under My Skin

Rain drummed softly on the tent, soothing. The fresh scent of moist earth and green growing things filled Goku’s nose, crisp behind the warm familiar depth of Vegeta’s scent.

“The boys are awake,” Vegeta told him, voice so low that Goku felt it more than heard it, tiny vibrations against his hand resting on Vegeta’s chest, his nose tucked into Vegeta’s neck.

He heard them now, Trunks and Goten giggling and whispering in the next tent over. “Mmm,” he acknowledged into Vegeta’s neck. 

The tent was warm and dry, Vegeta a comforting stretch of heat pressed against Goku’s chest down to his toes, Goku’s right leg flung over both of Vegeta’s and bent at the knee so their feet met despite Vegeta’s shorter height.

Sighing, Goku burrowed his nose deeper into Vegeta’s neck, was rewarded with a nearly inaudible chuckle that he felt rumble against him. “They don’t sound hungry yet,” Goku said, by way of explanation.

“Mmm,” Vegeta agreed, tucking his nose into Goku’s hair, muscles still lax with sleep.

Goku smiled into Vegeta’s neck, tipped his head slightly to press a kiss against Vegeta’s throat, right against his jawline. Vegeta hummed then shifted his weight, rolling from his back to his side to press more fully against Goku, one leg sliding to tangle between Goku’s own. 

“Boys are still right there,” Goku reminded him, even as he eagerly turned to meet Vegeta’s lips, pressing hot and firm against his own. 

Heat burned through him and pooled in his stomach as they kissed, no less delicious for all its familiarity. Vegeta moved away too soon, and Goku made a noise of protest as he tried to follow. 

“They’ll be clamoring for food any second now,” amusement layered Vegeta’s tone as he halted Goku’s progress with a thumb grazing the line of Goku’s jaw. Goku blinked his eyes back into focus, wrinkled his nose as he reluctantly saw the truth of that statement. Vegeta chuckled again, the warm noise sending sparks fizzing under Goku’s skin.

“I guess a little water never hurt anyone.” Goku grinned at Vegeta, reluctantly disentangled himself to go catch a fish. “Won’t do the food much good though. Get the cover up for us?”

Vegeta rolled his eyes and gave a tiny nod, more than enough agreement for Goku to be confident he’d do it. 

“Thanks.” Goku didn’t bother with any more clothes, the boxers he wore would be plenty of cover while he fished. He felt Vegeta’s eyes on him as he ducked out of the tent, grinned at the trees in satisfaction.

Camping had been a good idea.

* * *

“Camping?” Vegeta squinted as if he’d never heard the word. 

“Yeah, you know, in the forest with a tent and stuff?” Goku bounced on the balls of his feet. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Vegeta looked doubtful. “Seems pointless. Why not just take a Capsule House?”

“Because then it wouldn’t be camping!” Goku circled around the kitchen table where Vegeta sat, bumped his hip against Vegeta’s shoulder. “You know, camping, self sufficient out in the forest, living off your strength and the land? I thought you’d be all over this!”

“Hmph.” Ignoring Goku, Vegeta took another bite of his bagel. Probably second breakfast after morning gravity room time. It smelled good. Goku eyed the remaining bagels on the table, wondering if he could get away with stealing one. 

“Morning, Dad!” Trunks skidded into the room, school bag bouncing on his shoulder, “morning, Goku!”

Goku grinned. “Morning, Trunks!” Hard to believe such a cheerful kid had come from Vegeta.

“Don’t wake your sister,” Vegeta said in a tone so grim he might have been warning of Frieza’s impending arrival.

Trunks clapped a hand over his mouth and guiltily glanced back down the hallway. 

“Aw, lighten up Vegeta,” Goku bumped into his shoulder again, got glared at. 

“Dad, can we spar in the gravity room after I get back from school?” Trunks stared at his father with hopeful blue eyes. Goku felt slightly guilty for how long he and Vegeta tended to spar these days.

Well. More than just sparring was happening. 

“We’ll see,” Vegeta told him noncommittally, and Goku watched Trunks wilt slightly. He still barely slowed as he completed a circuit around the kitchen, shoving things into his bag, before cheerfully rushing out the door announcing his departure for school.

“I bet Trunks would love to go camping with you,” Goku told Vegeta with a bit of an edge creeping into his voice. Vegeta winced slightly in response.

* * *

Vegeta had the cover up when Goku got back with a couple fish, hadn’t bothered to ki blast the water out of his clothes. Goku took a moment to admire the way that the wet fabric hugged Vegeta’s abs and thighs, grinned when he realized Vegeta was doing his own sweep of gaze down Goku’s mostly bare body. 

“Got a couple big ones,” Goku announced, holding up the fish. Vegeta just raised an eyebrow. “Grab some wood for us while I get ‘em cleaned?”

The speed at which Vegeta departed to get gathering confirmed Goku’s suspicion that for all Vegeta’s ruthlessness on the battlefield and competence at hunting, he didn’t particularly like having guts all over his hands. 

“Morning, dad!” 

Goku paused partway through gutting the second fish to grin at Goten, peeking through the now open flap of the boys’ tent. “Morning, kiddo! You sleep well?”

“Yeah!” Goten bounded from the small tent over to the larger cover, deftly grabbing his shoes from the cover of the tent’s fly and stuffing them onto his feet as he landed. “Did you?”

“Sure did!” Goku finished off gutting the second fish, started stripping scales as he shoved chunks of it onto skewers. “You boys hungry?”

“Yeah!” Goten bounced up and down, filled with energy, “can I help with anything?” 

He raced to set up the folding table and chairs at Goku’s direction, since the ground was way too wet to sit on. A mop of lavender was visible from the tent, Trunks peering out skeptically at the pouring rain. Goku bit back a grin as he went to wash the fish off his hands. Goten would get him coaxed out soon enough.

* * *

“So good!” Goten exclaimed around a mouthful of roast boar. Goku grinned around his own mouthful, watching Goten’s bright eyes.

They should do this more often.

Trunks was picking up speed on his portion too, appetite finally returning.

_”Yeargh!”_

_Goku wasn’t prepared for the yell, turned in confusion. It didn’t look like anything was attacking, but Trunks had gone pale and shaking._

_“For gods’ sake,” Vegeta snapped, “where did you think meat came from?”_

_“I— I—,” Trunks was starting to look concerningly watery, “I mean of course I know where meat comes from, I just, I just—,”_

_Hadn’t seen anything slaughtered before, Goku belatedly realized, remembering how horrified Bulma had been when she’d first seen him hunting his own food. Half-Saiyan or no, Trunks was a city kid at heart._

_Vegeta made a pained noise, and Goku turned to see embarrassment coloring his expression. Trunks caught it too, winced, and gulped down any remaining protests._

_“We obviously need to do this more often,” Vegeta muttered, crossing his arms, and Goku watched conflicting emotions chase across Trunks’ face._

_He settled on hope, grinning at his father. “So can we?”_

“Vegeta, have you ever been camping before?” Goten turned wide eyes on Vegeta, voicing a question that Goku had wanted to ask but been honestly a little afraid to.

“Not exactly,” Vegeta told him in a neutral tone, and Goku felt one of the fusion memories briefly bubble up, three Saiyans around a campfire, eating meat. The meat appeared to have opposable thumbs, and Goku focused back on his boar and hoped that no disquiet showed on his face. 

“How do you not exactly camp?” Goten pressed, proving he was the bravest person present.

Vegeta frowned at him, but tolerated from Goten what he would have snapped at Goku for. It was actually pretty adorable how soft he was towards Goten, and Goku had been engaged in a silent struggle for years now to keep that thought firmly internal, because he was pretty sure Vegeta would change his attitude if he caught on. 

Trunks was watching Vegeta carefully too, silently hopeful, and for the first time it occurred to Goku that Goten’s habitual blunt questioning of Vegeta might be mostly for Trunks’ benefit. 

Shrugging, apparently oblivious to the scrutiny of everyone else at the campfire, Vegeta turned back to his dinner. “We were sleeping outside and cooking fresh catch, but it wasn’t for fun.”

Necessity and planet purges, Goku translated in his head. More of the PTO missions filling Vegeta’s pre-Earth life. 

“Who’s ‘we’?” Trunks blurted, then looked shocked at himself. 

Vegeta eyed him sideways, clearly weighing the answer, then shrugged. “Saiyans. Myself, Raditz, and Nappa.”

Camping had been a good idea. From the look on Trunks’ face, he’d really been wanting more chances to learn about his dad. Vegeta loved his family, but he was still prickly and secretive. 

“What happened to them?” Goten asked, all innocence, and Goku felt ice crash down his spine. 

“Dead,” Vegeta said shortly, eyes flicking to Goku for a brief instant, “no more questions.”

Goku grinned and changed the subject, drawing the kids in with one of his stories from traveling with Bulma that first time. 

No more questions about death was probably a good idea.

* * *

Goku ducked back out of the tent, fully dressed now. Goten was watching the fish intently, determined to do well at the task Goku had set him before leaving to change. 

“Nice work!” Goku told him, ruffling Goten’s mass of hair. His youngest son grinned up at him, leaning back against Goku’s legs, and Goku melted a little. 

Familiar ki brushed Goku’s senses, and he looked up to see Vegeta returning with a second armload of wood, nose wrinkled against the rain. He deposited the wood with a clatter, then lifted an arm to squeeze water out of his hair. Goku was briefly distracted watching, temptation tickling to grab Vegeta and tangle his own fingers in the surprisingly long sweep of hair that Vegeta had just finished pulling up off his neck. 

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, and Goku realized he was staring. Smiled ruefully and dragged his eyes back to their breakfast. “Wow, those fish are really starting to smell great!”

“Does that mean breakfast is almost ready?” Trunks asked, voice muffled from the warmth of the tent. 

“Get out here, Trunks,” Vegeta told him, falling well short of expressing any actual irritation. 

Trunks darted out of the tent, flying with shoes in one hand, then stopped just short of hugging his father. “Dad, you’re soaked!”

Vegeta rolled his eyes, pushed the water off with a ki burst, causing it to splash all over Trunks and Goten, getting yelps and giggles. 

Goku grinned as water droplets landed on his face, briefly met Vegeta’s amused eyes, felt his face get what was probably a dopey grin. 

They really should do this more often. Things with them and the kids.

* * *

“I can’t believe he’s squeamish about _meat_ ,” Vegeta muttered, still aghast, “too much of his mother’s influence.”

Goku grinned, wiggled a bit closer to Vegeta across their laid together foam camping mattresses. Luxury. “Guess you’d better do more Saiyan stuff with him, then.”

Vegeta tried to glare, but gave up as Goku looped an arm around his waist, tugged him closer under their unzipped sleeping bag blanket. “I don’t know what that looks like on Earth,” Vegeta muttered nearly inaudibly into Goku’s chest. 

Oh. Ouch. Goku slid his hand up Vegeta’s back to rub a thumb against tense shoulder muscle, tucked Vegeta’s head under his chin and buried his nose in Vegeta’s hair. “You’ll figure it out.”

Warm air tickled his collarbone, Vegeta sighing softly. Heat circled Goku’s waist as Vegeta settled his arm there. Fingers grazed the base of Goku’s spine, and he realized with a jolt that his tail should have been there.

They still never talked about it much. Their lost planet, their lost years. All those gaps.

Goku tightened his grip, squishing Vegeta harder against him. It was strength that would have hurt someone from Earth.

Vegeta chuckled, and Goku instantly relaxed, loosening his grip and bringing his hand up to tilt Vegeta’s head, brush a thumb along Vegeta’s cheek bone, press a kiss to his forehead.

“You’re such a sap, Kakarot,” Vegeta complained, making absolutely no move to push him away. Goku grinned at him, foreheads tipped together, enjoying the closeness. 

“Thanks for coming along,” Goku said. Vegeta looked faintly embarrassed, but didn’t pull away, which Goku counted as progress. “Really, Vegeta, spending time like this with both of us and the kids… it’s nice.”

It really was. Much as he and Vegeta did together, it was pretty rare to fall asleep in the same bed. Tent. Whatever. 

“I suppose it’s not awful,” Vegeta acknowledged, tensing slightly under Goku’s hands. Goku waited, sensing that he was working up to something. 

His patience paid off. “We may as well do it again sometime,” Vegeta said, with a tone like he’d agreed to gladiator combat.

“I’d like that,” Goku grinned back at him, wrapping both arms around Vegeta to draw him closer as Vegeta started squirming, clearly embarrassed by the whole conversation. He tucked Vegeta under his chin again, where Vegeta could keep his face safely hidden, and felt Vegeta start to relax.

Goku hummed softly, traced his hands against Vegeta’s back, hard muscle and ridged scar tissue. Muscles softened under his hands, became warm and pliant, as Vegeta let go of more tension. Sleep crept up on Goku too, contentment curling through him.

“We better not wait too long,” he mumbled into Vegeta’s hair, suddenly feeling that he had to get the thought out, “the boys will be too big for this soon.”

Vegeta shifted and yawned, jaw cracking with the strength of it. “You’d better not vanish anywhere, then,” he muttered as he resettled against Goku’s chest.

Goku jolted slightly back awake, but Vegeta was already slumping into sleep, breathing evening out against Goku’s shoulder. 

That wasn’t completely fair, Goku reasoned, pushing aside a brush of hurt. Vegeta had spent even more time training with Whis than Goku had. 

He was probably talking more about things like dying, anyway.

The boys were giggling in their tent, and Goku caught occasional flickers of their flashlights. Familiar voices, no longer the near strangers Goku had met a few years ago at the World Tournament.

His hands brushed against Vegeta’s scars again, fusion memories flickering and reminding him that some of those could have easily been fatal wounds.

Vegeta stirred, yawned, pushed his head against Goku’s jaw. “Stop thinking and go to sleep, Kakarot.”

“Mmm.” Goku smiled, pressed another kiss to Vegeta’s forehead and made him grumble. 

This was nice. No need to dwell on the future or past, that had never been Goku’s way. 

He’d much rather just enjoy the good memories they were making between the four of them now.


End file.
